End lock for rings of mechanical binders



y 1952 c. D. TRUSSELL END LOCK FOR RINGS OF MECHANICAL BINDERS Filed Aug. 6, 1949 INVENTOR. CLARENCE D. TRUSSELL BY I ATTORNY I chanical b'indersf'of thetypefoovere' Patented May 6, 1952 PATENT: OFFICE clarerfce-"llt-Triissell,

Turnwood, N. Y.

ap lieaiibii niigiiettil949, si-iaiN. 11181903" Tiieinvention' hereindisclos' me p t,-;e pi n1;psesar: q, 985:; fi July 3, 1945, Patent 2-,502,493" ofA involving" a strip "ofsheet 'material-rolled' to for a tubular backbone and" having int fra y 1?; tac'l're'd 'fi'ng'ers which can be" curled into-closed The present invention concerned- *sefcjur-f ingthe free ends ofthefingei's the answering forin'ingrelati'onI I I V I i H Particular objects of ltheiinvention are to videeffective' means managing tfie f ofthe ring formingjstrips tern backb ture, which"will'automatical ymere actor closing therings and which stitute an integral part of the "structure? Otherimportant objectsof the'i v to providean-"end-lockfor w on wh of a generally"perr'na'neri't character may. sion-reduired, bejopenedtdr' easefthe ings? a dthiswithout'destroyingthe'lockfso thattherin'gs may'be a'gain' closedland lockedl- I I r I Furtherbbjects' of the 'inventio arejtd'pifiivide a lock construction of the"typeand bharacter25 inclicated'which may be provided at low cost and which will be commercially practical in every way.

Other desirab1eoblects and the' iiovel I through which the purposes of the v nti n irre=- attained are'set-forth or'will-appear-inthe course of the following specification. v

The "drawing accompanying 'an'd formingjljpa'rtij' of the;. s'pecification illustrates several difl'e're t embodiments of the'invention. 1 Actual str'" however; maybe further modified and 0 ed; all within 'the true scope 'of thefinve'ntion as hereinafter defined and claimed? p v -T Fig. 1 in the "'drawiri isabrolien plan view illustrating a portion of a -bin'd'er blank having theinvention incorporated-therein;-- I

Fig. 2 is a broken part sectional end view of onevof the completed bindings;

Fig. 3 is a broken plan view of the latter, showing two rings completely closed and locked and a third ring, in section, nearly closed and about to be automatically interlocked with the rolled, back portion of the binder;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged :broken detail of the interlocking portions of the back and finger structure first shown in Fig. 1

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are similar views illustrating other forms of the invention;

Figs. 8 and 9 are broken front and edge views,

z resiie'ctiiieli i-of another embodiment of the in venues:

Figs. 1. 2 and" 3"shovv' how "the'binding is mad upof a one-piece blank" of sheet material 'oomprising an edge strip portion 9 which is rolled into tubular" formation; and integrally attached spaced parallel ring formin f fingers l0 projecte ing from oneedge off thebase'strip and havin tapered rounded orbluntly'pointed free ends H which "ins erted 'throughslots provided in the l l asi irib Thelock' forth'e ring 'ends'is accomplished by merrier; "fit. 7 spam th fingers as they pass 'thi'oughthe slots;

'withcon panion'parts located to interlook'asthe finger j'tips'snap from deformed back to original.

eneral-1y's raignteoi diuon.

In the'firs't form or the invention shown in Figs.

1 to l; the'sl'otsin'the'side'of the tubular'ba ck" 9 have oneeurved'edge l 2 and a lug l3projectin'g' from the opposite edgeinto'the'concavityofthe" curved edg'e; thus" to re'qui'reth tip of the finger" strifi bebent'fon arched transversely to pass thr ghthblot; as shown in'the broken lines in Figfli' 'rh" fines" "orringio'rining stripl I n this first forin "off the "i at "renaissance from the end of the stripol" a length to accommodate the projecting tongue l3 when the strip, in its arched condition, has

been 'iorced throufgh the base' 'slot far enough'to' regi t With "this construction it is L possible "to" clos and'1ock"the fingers "simplyby tenderer-hem into: wing-formation and forcing theendsof the same thro mayv be "accomplished in special or jigs "such' as disclosed in copending patent application Serial No. 602,985.

While the lock construction described will hold the rings permanently locked against any accidental or unintentional disengagement, it is nevertheless possible to release the rings by bending the ends of the same into the bowed or arched formation indicated in broken lines, Fig. 4.

Fig. 5 illustrates a variation of the invention in which two short transverse slots [5 and two edge notches I 6 are provided in the ring forming strip to engage over diagonally opposite lugs I! on opposite sides of the base slot and over diageformation and -st'r'aighteningof "the nvention has'a transverse $101114".

h' tongue l 3. At'such time the spring 1 inh en mth'e normally fiat material will cause" with the transverse'sl'ot' the curved slots in thebase strip. This ring closing dies onally opposite shoulders 18 at the opposite ends of the base slot, after the finger strip has first been twisted transversely, as shown in broken lines, to pass it through the slot far enough to register with such locking elements.

The embodiment shown in Fig. 6 is like that first illustrated, in that the end of the ring strip must be bowed or arched transversely to pass it through the base slot, but the interlock is accomplished in this instance by short, Widely spaced, transverse slots is in the strip engageable over correspondingly placed lugs 20 on one edge of the base slot. A projection 2i from the opposite edge of the base slot forces the curvature of the strip into the space between the projecting lugs 20. I

The Fig. 7 form of construction is generally similar to that last considered, with the additional feature of a longitudinal slot 22 in the tip portion of the ring strip, giving it greater bendability and therefore facilitating entry of the strip into the tubular base and with an extra transverse slot 23 in the intermediate portion of the ring strip to engage over a companion locking projection 2 3 on the side edge of the base slot.

The binding disclosed may be made of plastic, sheet metal or other suitable sheet material, and the lock featur may be incorporated at practically no additional cost since it is an integral part of the sheet structure and may be produced at the time of blanking out the sheet material.

The slight deformation, bending or twisting required for passing the ends of the rings through the back slots into. interlocked position does not injure or impair the springy character of the normally fiat strip sheet material of which the binder is formed. The binder, when closed and H locked, may be considered generally as a permanentbinder but the structure, nevertheless, permits .of the unlocking and opening of the binder rings when or if required.

In Figs. 3 and 9 a more permanent form of interlock is effected by partially severing and bending out an inclined tongue 25. in the end portion of the ring forming strip, which will be pressed back as the end of the strip is forced through the straight slot 20 and will spring out again after passage through the slot, to secure the strip in the ring formation.

What is claimed is:

1. A mechanical binding comprising a strip of forming strips projecting from the opposite edge portion in position to have the free ends of the same enter said slots, said slots being slightly longer than the width of the strips but each ha'varching of said ring forming strips to enter the '4 same and said free ends of the ring forming strips having openings therein positioned to receive the projecting lugs on the edges of said slots on restoration of said ring forming strips to normal fiat shape following the transverse arching of the same required to enter said slots.

2. A mechanical binding comprising a strip of sheet material rolled into generally tubular formation'and having spaced, longitudinally extending slots along one edge portion and spaced, substantially parallel ring forming strips projecting from the opposite edge portion in position .to have the free ends of the same enter said slots, said slots being shaped to enforce bending of said'ring forming strips to enter the same and companion interlocking elements on the edges of said slots and on the end portions of the ring forming strips located to interlock on restoration of said ring forming strips to normal shape following the bending of the same required to enter said slots, and including projections on the edges of the slots imparting transverse curvatiu'e to the ring forming strips and said strips having openings to accommodate said projections.

3. A mechanical binding comprising a strip of sheet material rolled into generally tubular formation and having spaced, longitudinally extending slots along one edge portion and spaced, substantially parallel ring forming strips projecting from the opposite edge portion in position to have the free ends of the sameenter said slots, said slots being shaped to enforce bending of said ring forming strips to enter the same and companion interlocking elements on the edges of -said slots and on the end portions of the ring forming strips located to interlock. on restoration of said ring forming strips to normal shape following the bending of the same required to enter said slots, and including projections on i the edges of the slots imparting transverse curvature to the ring forming strips and said strips having openings to accommodate said projections, and other openings disposed substantially centrally of the strips for facilitating the transverse bending of the same.

I CLARENCE D. TRUSSELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 

